DEVOTION – DAY 447

Psalm 37:23-24 “In God’s Hand”

Psalm 37:23-24 “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”

The book of Psalms was written to help God’s people to live a godly life under God’s reign. Thus, in the above verses, people who are righteous, people who live in ways that delights in the Lord, will enjoy God’s presence in their lives. Even though they may face oppression and challenges, they will find that the Lord will make firm their steps, they will not stumble or fall. That is because they remain firmly in the palm of God’s strong hand. Thus, in vv25-26, the righteous shall not be lacking in what they need. In v28, the Lord will ensue that the wrongdoers would be completely destroyed and the wicked would perish. This is reassuring for us when we live in a world where the wicked and the corrupted people seem to go unpunished, and when Christians face oppression in wanting to exercise their faith in certain countries.

Thomas Arnold was born in England in 1864. At the age of 26, he answered God’s call to be a missionary and was sent to China. He spent the first two years in China trying to learn the language and customs of China. He dressed like the locals so that he could blend in with them. He later married Elizabeth Ince, a fellow missionary in China. They both began to serve in local towns and villages in the area around Nanjing. 

It was not easy for them. The local Chinese at first treated them with suspicion as often, they were the first foreigners the people ever met. However, Thomas and Elizabeth Arnold responded with love and care. They prayed to God and trusted that God had led them to China and God would never abandon them. Although Thomas was not trained in medicine, he had spent time with a fellow missionary doctor and he had learnt some medical knowledge. So, he began by dispensing some medical help to those in need. He also used his architectural training to help build some local buildings and build a boy’s school. He then taught classes at the school. Meanwhile, Elizabeth opened her home to every visitor so that they could see that she had nothing to hide. In so doing, they gained the trust and friendship of the locals and slowly, they began to convert some of the people to Christianity. 

In time, they started a local church and Thomas and Elizabeth began making trips to villages further afield to expand their work. With each step, they always trusted the Lord. Every step gained was hard ground because they always met with initial suspicion because they were seen as foreigners even though they could speak Chinese. But God never let them stumble or fall. In total, they spent 16 years in China until they were forced to leave because of poor health.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we thank you for your promises to keep us firmly in your hand, that you will never let us fall or stumble. Please help us to stand firm when we face opposition in our service for you. We pray in the holy name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

1. How does God’s promise to keep you firm in His hand reassure you when you face times of difficulty?
2. How has God helped you overcome a challenging time in the past? Share.
3. Who do you know, is facing a challenging time? How can you pray for them? How can you encourage them?